Upholstery button



March 17, 1970 D. B. MITCHELL uPHoLs'ERY BUTTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug 28, 1967 rNvENToR David B. Mitchell BY @KMA ATTORNEY March 17, 1970n D. B. MITCHELL v 3,500,506

UPHOLSTERY BUTTON Filed Aug 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2V INVENTOR David B.Mitchell F|g..|9

BY @if ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,500,506 UPHOLSTERY BUTTON DavidB. Mitchell, 2905 Walnut, Garland, Tex. 75040 Filed Aug. 28, 1967, Ser.No. 663,822 Int. Cl. A44b 1/12, 1/14 U.S. Cl. 24-113 6 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for forming tufts in padded material, suchapparatus including a stem with a penetrating point at one end and ahead at the opposite end. The head is adapted to be covered by a fabricmaterial and means is provided for locking the fabric material to thehead.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements incovered buttons for upholstery.

The invention specifically relates to buttons having especially designedmountings, preferably formed of plastic materials, and covered withfabric. The mountings are provided with stems capable of penetrating athickness of padding materials and secured by suitable means to form apattern of tufts in the padded materials used in various types ofupholstery as applied to furniture, cushioned seats in vehicles, and thelike.

PRIOR ART Covered buttons have had extensive use in upholstering formany years but those employed are generally of the so called eyelettypes formed with a loop or eyelet to which is attached a cord for tyingthe button to a supporting frame or a spring assembly, or having anelongated pronged stem which penetrates the padded material and has awasher at its inner end held in place by separating and bending theprongs in opposite directions.

The eyelet type buttons are not normally used in upholstering heavypadded -furniture but may be used for forming shallow tufts inrelatively light padding. The invention is designed to provide a moredesirable means of forming both deep and shallow tufts in all types ofupholstery and afford a more substantial tying means.

OBJECTS AND PURPOSES An object of the invention is that of providing aneconomical and practical button assembly for forming tufts in paddedupholstery for furniture, vehicle seats, and the like, and affording abutton assembly which includes a mounting member having a stem adaptedto penetrate varying thicknesses of padding and formed with a series ofcircumferential V-shaped grooves which provide spaced ledges or seatsfor retaining a flexible washer against the tension of the compressedpadding materials in forming the tufts.

Anotherv object resides in the provision of a base element for a coveredbutton or head having a stem portion which is formed integrally of thebase element and providing a button which, when covered with fabric, canbe flexed over the base element in such a manner as to secure the fabriccovering.

Broadly, the invention contemplates the provision of a tufting buttonfor cushioned furniture which is simple in design and easily applied andsecured, affording means for maintaining the compressed padding undersuitable compression at all times to insure a uniform arrangement oftufts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the foregoing objects are paramountother and lesser objects will become apparent as the description pro-Patented Mar. 17, 1970 ceeds when considered in connection with theappended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a button or head embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional illustration, on lines 2-2 ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of one form of a base element embodying theinvention over which the button is applied.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational sectional illustration, on lines 4-4 ofFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged elevational view showing the base element shownin FIGURES 3 and 4, a button being covered and applied thereto and shownin trans` verse section, a tie cord being fragmentarily shown attachedto the stem.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged top plan view of a modified form of buttonhaving a central aperture therein.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the button shown in FIGURE6.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional View, on line 8-8 of FIGURE 6, of themodified button.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a washer for retaining the fabric cover inthe button shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8.

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view of the washer, ou line 10-10 ofFIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is an end view of a detachable stem element for the buttonshown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8.

FIGURE 12 is an elevational-sectional view of the stern element, onlines 12-12 of FIGURE 1l.

FIGURE 13 illustrates, partially in section, an assembly of the button,washer and stem element shown in FIG- URES 6 to 12.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged View of another modification of the buttonshown in FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 13.

FIGURE 15 is aside elevational-sectional view, on lines 15-15 of FIGURE14, of the button.

FIGURE 16 is an end view of another form of detachable stem element forthe buttons `shown in FIGURES 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15.

FIGURE 17 is an elevational-sectional view of the modied stem element,on lines 17-17 of FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged plan view of a fabric retaining washer for thebuttons shown in FIGURES 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15.

FIGURE 19 is a sectional view of the washer, taken on line 19-19 ofFIGURE 18.

FIGURE 20 is an enlarged sectional view of an assembly embodying thebutton, stem element and washer shown in FIGURES 14 through 19, to forma tuft, the

padding being fragmentarily shown, and

FIGURE 21 is an enlarged sectional view of an assembly similar to thatshown in FIGURE 5, but having a modified stem, the padding beingfragmentarily shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The preferred embodiment of the invention is shownin FIGURES 5 and '21, the separate parts of which are illustrated inFIGURES 1 to 4, and primarily comprises a circular base element 10having an integral stem 11, as best shown in FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 2l. Thebase element 10 is bevelled or chamfered about its upper surface and hasa truncated conical protuberance 12 centrally thereof defining anannular plane 13. The base element 10 with its stem 11 is preferablyformed of a plastic material.

It is contemplated that, while the base element 10 -may assume the samegeneral shape and contour, the stem 11 may be of any `desired lengthdepending upon the thickness of the padding material 14 through which itis applied, and upon the means by which the stem 11 is secured. InFIGURES 4 and 5 the stem 11 is shown relatively short, being pointed atits extremity 15 and having a transverse bore 16 therethrough to receivea cord 17, or other tying means, as shown fragmentarily in FIGURE 5. Thestem 11 shown in FIGURE 21 is longer than that shown in FIGURES 4 and 5and has a series of circumferential teeth 18 the bodies 19 of whichtaper inwardly toward the end of the stem 11 to provide spaced seats fora retaining vwasher 20 applied to the stem 11 in the manner shown inFIGURE 21.

The button element or head 21, shown in FIGURES 1, 2, and 21 issubstantially parabolical in section, having a peripheral internallyextending flange 22 which is flexed on the end of said stem remote fromsaid penetrating over and engages the under surface of the base elementv 10 when a fabric cover 23 is applied, as shown in FIG- URE 5. Theprotuberance 12 on the base element 10 will resist any inward pressureon the head A21 tending toward deformation thereof causing itsdetachment from the base element 10.

As applied to a thickness of padding material 14, such as foam rubber,or other suitable product, as shown in FIGURE 21, and which has acovering material 24 thereon, the stern 11 penetrates the paddingmaterial 14 and the cover 24 and is depressed to provide the desireddepth of tuft whereupon the pointed end of the stem 11 is anchored as bythe cord 17, as shown in FIGURE 5, which is tiedto a frame or springbase (not shown), or by the washer 20, shown in FIGURE 21,'and a cord orwire 25 which may be continuous from one stem 11 to another and woundabout the latter, as also shown in FIGURE 21, or by both of saidsecuring devices.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 through 20, in which modificationsof theinvention `are illustrated, the button or head 26, which is alsoparabolical in section, has a central aperture 27 formed in an annularrecess 28, as best illustrated in FIGURES 8, 13 and 15. The head 26 isapplied to a stem 29 having a circumferential groove 30 formed ,aboutand `near one end, as best shown in FIGURES 12, 13, 17 and 20,A bypressing the grooved end of the stem 29 through the aperture 27, in themanner shown in FIGURES 13 and 20.

The stem 29 is intended to be modified as to form, as depicted inFIGURES 12, 13, 17 and,20, the primary difference being evidenced inFIGURE 17 which shows a series of circumferential tables 31 formed aboutthe stem 29 similar to the teeth 18 shown on the stem 11 in FIGURE 21.These elements may be utilized to provide a seat for a washer, such asshownin FIGURE 21, or as an anchoring vdevice in the cushioning orpadding material 14, in the manner shown in FIGURE 20, to-

gether with the cord 17. v

In the application of the assembly shown in FIGURES 13 and 20, thebutton 26 having been secured to the stem 29 in the manner justdescribed, the fabric covering 32 is applied to the head 26 and aflexible washer 33 is arranged about the stem and pressed into the head26 so that its perimeter is ilexed past the internally extending flange22 and is seated thereon against the inturned edge of the fabriccovering 32 to secure it over the head 26. The washer 33 is shown indetail in FIGURES 9,

- open end, a base element disposed about said stem and adapted to beforced over said flange and into said head, said protuberance beingdimensioned to extend toward the hollow head a suiicient distance toresist inward pressure on the head tending toward deformation thereofand subsequent detachment of said head from said base element, whereby afabric can be applied to the exterior surface of said head'with the freeedges of the fabric extending inwardly over said ange so that when thebase element is applied it will lock the fabric onto said head.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said central protuberance isconnected to said head.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said central protuberance is spacedslightly from said head.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said base element is an integralportion of said stem.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which said base element is a flexiblewasher means.

6. The structure of claim 1 including means for securing said stem toupholstery.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 19,007 12/ 1857 Van Gieson.1,374,210 4/ 1921 Langrock 24--113 1,984,743 12/ 1934 Holmes 24-1133,408,105 10/ 1968 Portell 24-113 XR 1,867,041 7/ 1932 Walters 24-152 X2,223,594 12/ 1940 Bednarek 5-351 2,602,975 7 /1952 Wolfe 24-1133,268,964 8/ 1966 Forsyth 24-113 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,126,177 3/ 1962Germany.

735,240 5 1943 Germany.

850,474 9/ 1952 Germany.

885,493 8/ 1953 Germany.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner Us. C1. XR. 24- 102

